Device for weighing sheet material



I 1,619,163 March 1927' v5:. 5. THOMAS DEVICE FOR WEIGHING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 11, 1922 2 Sts-Sh'eetl [0 WA no 5. 7'HoMAs.

' 1927. March 1 E. G. THOMAS DEVICE FOR WEIGHING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 11. 1922 2 Sheets-SheetB ED WARD Gf Ta o/was. MAX; f/fi Jab . ing .the

Patented Mar. 1, 1927.-

UNITED STATES 1,619,163 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD G. THOMAS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 TOLEDO COMIANY,.OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

- DEVICE FOR wnrenme SHEET MATERIAL.

Application filed September 11, 1922. Serial No. 587,275.

This invention relates to devices for testuniformity of weight of sheet material. It is desirable that the filling and coating on coated fabrics and similar products be evenly distributed over the fabric, p per or other base to which the coating isfapplied, and coating machines are commonly equipped with attachments by the manipulation of which the thickness of the coating may be diminished or increased and its distribution from side to side of the sheet regulated. It is very difficult, however, to detect small variations in the weight of filling or coating per unitof length of material until a considerable length of the material has been treated and the coating is set sufiiciently'so that the length of material can be handled and weighed, and lack of uniformity in the application of the coating can not always be detected even by weighmg a given length of the material. If, for example, the calendering machine or other device for coating the fabric be so adjusted that the coating is applied more thickly at one side of the strip than at'the other, the product will be defective, but the defect can not be detected by weighing any given length of the strip of material.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of a device to indicate whether or not a sheet of material varies in weight from side to side of the sheet. t Another object is to provide indicators for each side of the sheet of material, the indicators being located in juxtaposition so as to fa 'litate simultaneous reading and comparison.

Another object is to provide indicators for 1 each side of the sheet of material which register with each other when the material of the sheet is'uniformly distributed from slde to side and which indicate variation in weight per umt of length by registration or non-registration with a fixed mark.

Another object is to provide a device for detecting variations in the weight per unit 'of length of asheet of material and also variations .in weight from side to side of the sheet.

Still another object is to provide means for indicating variations in weight of said material from side to side of the sheet and tracker. means for maintaining the strip in proper relation to the weighing mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, in which reference is had to the accom anying drawings illustrating preferred em odiments of my invention and wherein. similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings Figure I is an elevational view showing a testing device embodying m invention, the device being shown as use in connection with a calenderin machine, a part of the housing of the device being broken away; i v v a Figure II is an enlarged isometric view showing the lever mechanism of the testing device, the housing and portions of the frame of the device being removed;

Figure III is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a form of the device embodying a tracker;

Figure IV is an enlarged fragmentaiy sectional view showing a part of the tracker trative embodiment shown is supported upon a plurality of standards 1,2, 3, 4 and 5.

The standards 1 and 2 are in pairs, the

pair of standards 1 supporting a roller 6, while the pair-"of standards 2 supports a similar roller 7 The standards 3 and 4 are shown as supported upon a common base 8 and as supporting a housing 9 within which some of theweighing and indicating mechanisnris contained.

, Fulcrumed by means of a knife edge pivot 10 upon the upper; end 'of the standard 5 is a lever 11 within'one end of which is journaled the shaft of a roller 12, the connection between the roller. 12 and the lever .11 being such that the shaft may turn practically with'out 'frictiori even when the roller 12 is slightly tilted in 'a vertical plane. Rigidly secured to the opposite end of the lever 11 and extending horizontally substantially parallel with the knife edge of the pivot 10 is'a rigid bar 13 which is fixed at its'opposite end to the end of a lever 14, the lever 14 being fulcrumed on the upper end of the standard 4 by means of a knife edge pivot- 15, the knife edge of which is in alignment with that of the pivot 10 so that the lever 11, bar 13 and lever 14 are functionally integral, the frame coI 1- structed of these elements rocking as a unit on the pivots 10 and 15. I The end 16 of the shaft of the roller 12 opposite to that supported by the lever 11 is supported by a lever 17 which is fulcrumed by means 'of a knife edge pivot 18 on the upper end of the standard 4, the hearings in which the end 16 of the roller shaft is journaled being, like those in the lever 11, oftnon-friction type and permitting the shaft to have rocking movement therein.

The levers 14 and 17 are respectively connected at their ends by means of links 19 and 20 to pendulums 21 and 22 having indicators 23 and 24 which 'co-operate with an under and over chart 25. Thelever 14 is equipped with a beam 26 and poise 27, and the lever 17 is equipped with a beam 28 and poise'29, so that the weight of material carried by the r0l1er$12 may be counterbalanced to the extent necessary to bring the indicators 23 and 24 into registration with the predetermined weight marks on the chart 25. The initial balance of the scale may be obtained by properly positioning and weighting loadin boxes 30 and 30. carried by the levers 1% and 14, and the pendulum efi'ect of the levers and parts carried'thereby may be regulated by moving the weights 31 and 31 on their threaded stems.

When the device is assembled the roller ,12 is preferabl located substantially midway between t erollers 6 and 7 and the parts are so adjusted and arranged that when the indicators 23' and 24 are inregistration With' the predetermined weight marks on the chart 25, the upper surfaces of the rollers 6, 12 and 7 are tangent to the same plane. The poises 27 and 29 are moved to positions in which the portion of the strip of material supported by the roller 12 will be exactly counterbalanced with the indicators 23 and 24 in registration with the predetermined weights marks when the material is of the deslred weight and the weight is evenly distributed throughout the area of the strip. The bar 13 in the form of device shown in Figures I and II lies above and out of contact with the fabric when the fabric is passed over the rollers, and its weight above the edges of the pivots 10 and 15 serves to neutralize the pendulum effect due to the weight of the roller 12,

the center of mass of which is below the knife edges of the pivots 10, 15 and 18.

When the strip of fabric is drawn over the rollers 6, 12 and 7, one-half of the weight of the part of the strip which is between the ro lers 6 and 7 is supported by the roller 12 solong-as the upper sur end to end of the roller 12 remains uniform,

the indicators 23 and 24 will remain substantially in registration with the predetermined weight'marks on the chart 25.

If filling or coating material is being fed to the fabric too rapidly, or if for any other reason the sheet runs heavy, both indicators will move toward the over side of the chart, and if for any reason thematerial runs light, both indicators will move toward the under side of the chart. If the coating material is spread more thinly on one side of the strip than on the other, one end of the roller will support less weight than the other and the indicator connected to the end of the roller over which the material is running light will move toward the under side of the chart, while the indicator connected to the roller over which the material is running heavy will move toward the over side of the chart. Variation in weight from side to side is thus indicated by movement of the indicators 23 and 24 relativeto each other, while variation in weight per unit of length is indicated by movement of the indicators relative to the chart Since the non-uniformity in weight of the sheet or strip is at once indicated, the machine from which the strip is being drawn may be quickly adjusted to deliver the prodnet in proper condition when the indicators will register with each other and with the predetermined weight mark on the stationary chart 25.

The calender C is shown in Figure I mere, ly to better illustrate the purpose of the machine, and forms no part of the present invention. In some conditions of use it is very difficult to prevent the strip from running slightly toward one endor the other of the roller 12, and when such lateral movement occurs the load on the end of the roller 12 toward "which the strip has shifted is increased, while the load on the other end of the roller is decreased. The effect on the indicators is, therefore, the same as though the weight of the strip from side to side were non-unifornn In the forms illustrated in Figures III, IV and V means are provided for rectifying such errors.

In the form of device shown in Figure III, the base 8 with its stand and the stand 5 are mounted upon a truck 31' having flanged wheels 32 adaptedto roll upon rails 33 which are fixed to thefloor. The levers 11, 14 and 17 with the 'roller 12 and the other parts connected to the levers, are

mounted substantially in the same manner as the corresponding parts in the form of device shown in Figures I and II. Attached to the housing;.9 is a'bracket 34 towhich is pivoted a-vane 35 having a finger 3'6 extending upwardly at the edge of the sheet of; material The vane 35 normally almost closes a'small orifice-37 in a pipe 38 which is connected by means of a flexible hose 39 to a oylinder40 Within the cylinder 40 is a piston 4:1 which is urged toward one end of the cylinder by an expansive spring 42 and whichis connected by means of a piston rod 43 that passes through astufiing box in the cylinder head 44 to the truck 31. The space between the.

or closed by means of a cylinder head 46, as shown. If open to the atmosphere, the piston is urged in opposite directions by atmospheric pressure and the expansive sprlng 42, and if the end of the cylinder be closed,

as shown, the piston is urged in one direc-.

tion by the (pressure of the air confined between the piston and the cylinder head and in the opposite direction by the expansive spring 42,

Should the strip of material passingover the roller 12 shift. toward the end of the roller supported by the lever- 17", the-weight on the lever 17 a would be increased and the weight on the levers lland 14: decreased,

I even though the sheet material were absolutely uniform in weight throughout its area. When,'however, the device is equipped as shown in Figures III and IV, the slightest-shifting of the sheet material toward, the

- end of the roller supported by the lever. 17

' come more complete, thus allowing the pislifts the vane 35 an permits an increased flow of air into the cylinder 40 which ex-" erts pressure on the piston 41 and assists the sp1ing'42"t0 move the piston 41, the truck 31 and hence the roller 12 in the same direction in which the material has shifted until the roller and material are again brought into proper relative positions. Should the fabric shift to the right and thus move out of contact with the finger 36, the

vane 35 will immediately entirely close the opening in the end of the pipe 38 and the partial vacuum in the cylinder 40 will beton 41*, the truck 31' and the roller 12 to be moved laterally of the strip of fabric until the finger 36 again comes intocontact with the edge of the material and air is again permitted to pass under the vane 35,

the roller and fabric being thusbrought inro er relativepositions.

11 t e form shownin Figure V, the testing mechanism' is supported upon a truck hold the finger 36 in substantially upright position. The finger is electrically con nected to one pole of the source of current G and carries a contact 48 adapted, when the finger is in substantially upright positlon, to engage a contact 49 which is supported by the housing 9 and is electrically connected to a solenoid 50 which is in turn connected to the other pole. of the source of current G. The core 51 of the solenoid is,

urged in one direction by an expansive spring 42 and is urged in the opposite direction when the contacts 48 and 49? are in engagement with the solenoid 50". In order to prevent spasmodic movement of the truck 30 and the mechanism carried thereby, the dash pot 53 ismountedadjacent the truck and connected thereto by-means of a bell crank lever 54". p

In the operation of this form of the device, if the material M shifts to the left, the finger 36 -is rocked on its pivot and. the contacts 48 and 49 separated, thereby: deenergizing the solenoid 50 so that the solenoid core 51", the truck 31 and the roller 12 move to the left under the influence of the spring 42 until the contacts 48 and 49" are again engaged and the action of the solenoid 50 is set up against the tension of the spring 42'. In practice the shifting movement of the material M and the consequent movement of the truck and roller 12 are very small. The slight changes in the relative positions of the material and the roller 12* areso promptly corrected that erroneous indications on the predetermined weight chart are prevented.

claims;

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, means for supporting a portion of a moving strip of material, and means connected to said supporting means for indicating the variations in weight .per unit of length of said strip and for indicating variations in the weight from side to side of said strip, said means comprising a pair of movable indicators and a fixed chart, said Having described my invention, I claim:

lit

indicators being adapted to indicate uniin welght per formity or non-uniformit unit of length of the strip y registration or non-registration with a predetermined mark on the fixed chart and uniformity or nonuniformity of Weight from side to side of movin stri of'material a means su orting each end of each of said transversely extending member, and means connected to said supporting means for indicating variations in the Weight carried thereby, said indicating means being located in juxtaposition to facilitate simultaneous reading and comparison. v v

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a roller adapted to extend transversely of and support a longitudinally moving strip of material, a means supporting each end of each of said transversely extending roller, and means connected to said supporting means for indicating variations in the weight carried thereby, said indicating means being located in juxtaposition to facilitate simultaneous reading and comparison.

' 4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a member adapted to extend transversely of and support a longitudinally moving strip of material, a means supporting each endof said transversely extending member, and means connected to said supporting means for indicating variations in the weight carried thereby, said indicating means comprising a fixed, chart and a pair of movable indicators, each of which is connected to one of said supporting means, the indicators and chart being so arranged that the indicators indicate uniformity or nonuniformity in weight of the strip from side to side by registration or non-registration with each other and indicate variations in weight per unit of length by their" condition of registration with markings onthe chart. 5. In a device of the class descnibcrL-in 'co1nbination, a member adapted to support a I portion of a moving strip of material, means for supportin 1d member at two places located in a line" extending transversely to the direction of motion of the strip, indicating means for indicating the weight carried by one of said supports, indicating means for indicating the weight carried by the other of said supports, said indicating means comprising two movable indicators and a fixed chart, the indicators and chart being so arranged that the distribution of weight in the fabric is indicated by registration of the irlildicators with aligne markings on the 0 art.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, a member adapted to support a portion of a moving strip of flexible material, means for supporting said member at two places, said places being located at opposite sides of the strip of material respectively, indicating means for indicating the weight ca'rriedby one of said supports, in-

dicating means for indicating the weight carried by the other of said supports, said indicating means com rising two movable indicators and a fixed chart, the indicators and chart being so arranged that the distribution of Weight in the fabric is indicated by registration of the indicators with aligned markings on the chart.

7. In a device of the combination, armember adapted to support a portion of a moving strip of flexible material,'levers for supporting said member at two places, one of said points being located at one side of said stri the other of said points being located at t e other side of said strip, and indicating means for indicatin variations in the weight carried by each 0 said levers, said indicating means being located in juxtaposition to facilitate simultaneous reading and comparison. I

8. In a device of the class described, in combination, a roller adapted to extend transversely of and support a portion of a longitudinally moving strip of flexible nia- .teri al, a lever sup orting each end of said roller, and counter orce means and indicators connected to said levers, said indicators being located in juxtaposition to facilitate simultaneous reading and comparison.

9. In a device of the class described, in combination, a roller adapted to extend transversely of and support a portion of a longitudinally moving stripv of flexible material, a lever supporting one end of said roller, a lever supportin the other end of said roller, a lever rigid y connected tothc second said lever and located in juxtaposition to the first said lever, and indicators connected respectively to the first said lever and the third said lever.

10. In a device of the class described, in combination, a member adapted to extend transversely of and. support a portion of a longitudinally moving strip of flexible material, means connected to said transversely extending member for indicating variations in weightfrom' side to side of said strip of material and means for maintaining said strip and said member in approximately the same relativeposition transversely of said strip.

11. In a device for detecting variations in weight from side to side of a moving strip of material, a roller adapted to extend transversely of such strip and su port a portion thereof, means supporting the ends of said class described, in

roller and adapted to indicate variations in the weight carried thereby and variations in the distribution of weight from side to side thereof, and means adapted to maintain said strip and said roller in approximately the same relative position transversely of said strip.

12. In a device for detecting variations in weight from side to side of a moving strip of material, a roller adapted to extend transversely of such strip and support a portion thereof, means supporting the ends of said roller and adapted to indlcate variations in the weight carried thereby and variations in the distribution of weight from side to side thereof, and means adapted to maintain said strip and said roller in approximately the same relative position transversely of said strip, the last said means comprising mech anism adapted to move said roller and its. supports transversely of said strip, and controlling means for said device adapted to be actuated upon transverse shifting of said material, a roller adapted to extend transversely of such strip and support a portion thereof, means supportin the ends of said roller and adapted to in icate variations in the weight carried thereby and variations in the distribution of weight from side 'to side thereof, and means adapted to maintain said strip and said roller in approximately the same relative position transversely of said strip, the last said means comprising mechanism adapted to move said roller and its supports transversely'of said strip, and controlling means for said device adapted to be actuated upon transverse shifting of said strip, said controlling means including a member adapted to engage one edge of said moving strip of material.

EDWARD G. THOMAS. 

